We’ve surveyed over 18,000 km of coastline - and detected over 26 Māui dolphins

Between December 2023 and April 2024, we carried out two major surveys using our smaller electric drone, covering a key stretch of the Māui dolphin habitat along the west coast of the North Island.

The first survey, completed over two weeks in late 2023, focused on the West Coast between Manukau Harbour and Port Waikato out to 4 nautical miles. This was followed by a more extensive survey covering the same area, but using a different flight pattern, conducted over three months from December 2023 to April 2024.

Together, these surveys covered a combined 18,077 kilometres across 146 flights, totalling 262 hours of flying. The drone was flown at an altitude of 95 metres, with a camera field of view of 400m wide. Average speed ranged from 63 km/h in the initial survey to 70.2 km/h in the second survey – which is slightly below the drone’s maximum speed of about 79 km/h.

What did we find?

Across the two surveys, we detected Māui dolphins in 26 separate images, with most of these detections occurring in November 2023 and February 2024. These sightings are helping us build a clearer picture of how Māui dolphins are using these areas and how that may vary over time.

More efficient, less resource intensive

One of the big benefits of using this smaller electric drone is that it doesn’t require visual observers. That means our full-time pilot could fly whenever the weather allowed, without needing to coordinate volunteers or additional support. It made a big difference — especially during changeable coastal conditions.

These two surveys represent a significant step forward in how we monitor Māui dolphins over large areas and long timeframes. We’re excited to keep analysing the data and sharing insights as they emerge. Every kilometre matters. Every detection counts.